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www.nativitycatholicchurch.org 1 MARCH 22, 2020
2 FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT MARCH 22, 2020
From the Pastor’s Desk
I am writing this column on Monday, March 16th. By the time you read this,
there’s a good chance that some or even much of the information is out-of-
date. Nevertheless, I’d like to offer some information and helpful hints based
on what we know at this point as we attempt to deal with the effects of the
Corona Virus.
As of today (Monday), our office is still open during normal operating hours. I
am asking that you bring only the most urgent needs there, however, like
planning for a funeral or seeking assistance with a family emergency. Our staff
will attempt to assist you with these issues to the best of our ability. Of course,
if you are sick, we ask you to stay at home.
You can always call our office at 813-681-4608. While you may have to leave a message because of the
volume of calls we receive, we will get in touch with you as soon as possible.
If you have an emergency – that is, if a family member is dying and needs the Sacrament of the Sick –
we will do our best to assist you. At this time, we are not permitted entry into any of the nursing
homes located within our parish boundaries. That includes if the family of a resident / patient is
requesting the Sacrament of the Sick. We will still try to respond to emergencies at Brandon Regional
Hospital, but will not be allowed into rooms where the patient is isolated. While this is a hardship for
all involved it is also required in order to protect the larger population.
We will do our best to assist families who are planning weddings and funerals at this time. Based on
current recommendations, we may ask you to limit the number of people who attend those liturgies.
Or we may restrict a funeral to only a burial service at the cemetery.
If weekend Masses are cancelled, we will either post a video of that Sunday’s Mass on our website or
livestream the celebration of that Sunday’s Mass at a specific time.
Please check our parish website on a regular basis. The link is: https://nativitycatholicchurch.org/
coronavirus Also, this might be a good time to update or download our parish app on your Android or
Apple device provider (Search “Nativity Catholic Brandon FL” in your App Store).
Our staff continues to attempt to serve you in various ways. Our school is providing online learning.
Faith Formation and Youth Ministry will be offering online resources as well as other helpful materials
to assist you and your family in your faith journey.
Finally, and certainly not least, our parish depends upon your generous stewardship in order to maintain
the ministries here at Nativity and pay our staff which faithfully serves our community. Almost all of that
stewardship comes from your contributions made at the offertory during Mass. Only about one-fourth of
that offertory is made on-line. The other three-fourths actually come from what you put into the collection
basket. If we do not hold public celebrations of the Mass on the weekend, we have no way of making up
the shortfall in our offertory. Essentially, it would only be a few weeks before we would be unable to pay
our staff and meet our financial obligations.
For that reason, I am asking you to consider contributing to our parish online. Your generous and regular
gift on-line would go a long way in supporting our dedicated staff and ensure the continuation of our
ministries, even while away from our church campus. Online giving is easy to do. Consider checking out
the box on our parish website entitled “Online Giving” at the bottom of the page and the link will take you
through the sign-up process. May God bless you for your generosity and kindness to our parish during
these challenging times. And let us keep praying for one another, especially those sickened by the Corona
Virus, for all care givers, and for all God’s People.
- Fr. John Tapp, Pastor
www.nativitycatholicchurch.org 3
Pastor:
Rev. John Tapp Stewardship: Pray, Serve, Give
Parochial Vicars:
Rev. Anthony Astrab Stewardship Reflection
Rev. Belisario Riveros March 22, 2020—Fourth Sunday in Lent (Reflection courtesy of catholicsteward.com)
Deacons: Today’s readings are filled with contrasting images — God’s vision versus human
Rev. Dr. Mark Taylor
Rev. Mr. Robert Harris
vision, spiritual blindness versus spiritual sightedness. Embracing a stewardship way
Rev. Mr. Elix Castro of life can free us from spiritual blindness and help us to reflect the light of Christ’s
Rev. Mr. Carlos Zayas love in our daily lives.
Church Office: Our Second Reading, from Ephesians begins, “…You were once in darkness but now
813.681.4608 you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.” Because of our Baptism, we have
Nativity Catholic the “light” of the Blessed Trinity dwelling within us. In the difficulties and messiness of
School: daily life, it’s easy to forget this glorious truth about ourselves. It can also be difficult
813.689.3395 to determine whether we truly are living in a way that reflects Christ’s light.
Faith Formation: The stewardship way of life, with its emphasis on the rightly ordered use of the
813.689.9101
Youth Ministry: gifts of time, talents and treasure, gives us a guide to help ensure we
813.689.4147 really are living as “children of the light.”
Pastoral Care: In our Gospel passage from John, Christ restores sight to a man born blind. The
813.413.8351 man says that Christ “opened my eyes.” These Lenten days are an
Food Pantry: excellent time for us to ask Jesus to open our eyes, too. Let us ask Him to show us
813.694.0541
where we may be suffering from spiritual blindness, perhaps even in subtle ways in
Mass Schedule our use — or misuse — of time, talents and treasure.
As we continue on our Lenten journey, let’s intensify our efforts in any of these
Weekend Masses
areas where we have become a little blinded so that by Easter, we are truly living as
Saturday Vigil Masses
4:00pm (ASL Interpreted) children of the light.
4:00pm Español (Capilla)
Sunday Masses
7:00, 8:30, 10:30am
10:30am Family Mass
(Chapel)
12:30pm Español
6:00pm LifeTeen
Daily Masses
7:00am (Monday through
Friday)
8:00am (Mon, Tues, Thurs,
Fri, Sat)
8:15am (Wednesday)
7:00pm (Español—Martes y
Viernes)
Morning Prayer
7:45am (Monday through Just a reminder to our Online Giving users:
Saturday)
If you would like to make changes/updates to your account, please login to your
Confession Schedule account at www.nativitycatholicchurch.org/give. For security, the Church Office staff
Saturday in Church: is not able to make any changes/updates to Online Giving Accounts. If you are having
3:00 to 4:00pm
5:00 to 5:30pm trouble logging into your account or making changes/updates, please contact Our
Sunday Visitor (OSV) Customer Service at 800-348-2886, Option 2.
Adoration
Friday in Chapel: CONNECT WITH US: @NativityBrandon
8:45am to 6:45pm
4 FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT MARCH 22, 2020
Parish Life & Announcements
Remember Your Baptism Lenten Podcast
Episode four of our Lenten podcast will cover what's happening in the
second scrutiny rite, with an emphasis on the themes found in the
Gospel passage that accompanies it.
Check our page on nativitycatholicchurch.org under the Grow in Faith
tab each week for new episodes. Be notified when the next episode is
available by opting-in through Flock Note; text NativityBrandon to
84576, and put a check by "Remember Your Baptism."
Happy 100th Birthday: Mary Gonzalez Rossano
Born March 13, 1920 in Springfield Illinois to Manuel and Josepha
Garcia Gonzalez. They moved to Donora, Pennsylvania where her father
worked in the coal mines. Mary lost her Mother when she was six years
old. She died in childbirth. Mary was the third child of five. Two older
brothers that died in infancy and two younger sisters, Sarah Blackburn
and Lydia Valentine, that she remained close with until their recent
deaths. In 1941 she met and married John Rossano and they lived in
Clarksburg, West Virginia. They had three children. Philip Rossano from
Buckhannon, West Virginia. Joyce Rossano Girgenti from Carolwood,
Florida. June Rossano Hill from Lithia, Florida. Six grandchildren, Deanna
Arnold, James Oliverio, Elaine Oliverio, John Oliverio, Dr. Gregory
Girgenti, Joe Girgenti. Eleven Great grandchildren, Nichayla Porreca,
Michael Hall, Jonathon Wagner, Caitlin Wagner, Nicholas Oliverio,
Spencer Oliverio, James Oliverio IV, Vincent Girgenti, Sophia Girgenti,
Cecilia Girgenti, Gregory Girgenti and two great-great grandchildren,
Austyn Wagner and Oliver Joeckel.
John and Marry were married for 69 years. John was a World war II veteran. After retiring they moved to
Florida in 1980. John passed in 2010 at the age of 95.
Welcome Newly Baptized to our Family of Faith
The children listed below were baptized during the month of February.
Braylen Jeffrey Boje Nailah Noryah Saint Joas
Olivia Marey Hernandez Rosario
Jonathan Salmeron Nolasco Michael Noah Echevarria-Cortes
Isobel Maxine DeGroot
Mason Scott Mettler Adrean Jayden Echevarria
Rosalie Mila Cruz-Holman
Maya Monteverde Ferraro Henry Martin Young
Rafael Bustamante Vargas
Olivia Suarez Andres Salvador Gonzalez Gioiosa
Dylan Orlando Sanchez
Isabella Marie Torgerson Sofia Bejarano Casas
Church Office Hours — Monday-Thursday: 8:30am-4:00pm | Friday: 8:30am-12:00pm | Phone: 681.4608
www.nativitycatholicchurch.org 5
Liturgy & Prayer
Daily Readings for the Week Mass Intentions | March 23-29
Sunday Fourth Sunday of Lent Monday March 23
1 Sm 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a; Ps 23:1-3a, 7:00 a.m. Marisol Padron
3b-4, 5, 6; Eph 5:8-14; Jn 9:1-41 8:00 a.m. Andre Michael Suhair
Monday Saint Turibius of Mogrovejo, Bishop Tuesday March 24
Is 65:17-21; Ps 30:2 and 4, 5-6, 11-12a 7:00 a.m. Robert Heck
and 13b; Jn 4:43-54 8:00 a.m. Kris Jackson
7:00 p.m. Rafael Munoz (Capilla)
Tuesday—Ez 47:1-9, 12; Ps 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9; Jn 5:1-16
Wednesday March 25
Wednesday Solemnity of the Annunciation of the
7:00 a.m. Kathleen Lapsley
Lord
8:15 a.m. Ana Navarro
Is 7:10-14, 8:10; Ps 40:7-8a, 8b-9, Thursday March 26
10, 11;Heb 10:4-10; Lk 1:26-38 7:00 a.m. Sean Kane
Thursday Ex 32:7-14; Ps 106:19-20, 21-22, 23; 8:00 a.m. Pamela James
Jn 5:31-47 Friday March 27
Friday Wis 2:1a, 12-22; Ps 34:17-18, 19-20, 21 7:00 a.m. Napoleon Garcia
and 23; Jn 7:1-2, 10, 25-30 8:00 a.m. Britt Hardy
Saturday Jer 11:18-20; Ps 7:2-3, 9bc-10, 11-12; 7:00 p.m. Jaime Hernandez Rocha (Capilla)
Jn 7:40-53 Saturday March 28
8:00 a.m. Alice Le
4:00 p.m. Alejandro Antonio Tineo
Almighty ever-living God, eternal health of 4:00 p.m. George Anthony Gamez (Capilla)
believers, hear our prayers for your servants who Sunday March 29
are sick with coronavirus: grant them, we implore 7:00 a.m. Kenneth & Mary Stutzman
you, your merciful help, so that, with their health 8:30 a.m. Nativity Parish Family
restored, they may give you thanks in the midst of 10:30 a.m. Nativity Parish Family
your Church. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your 10:30 a.m. Thomas H. Daschke (Chapel)
Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of 12:30 p.m. Ramon “Tony” Corona
6:00 p.m. Nativity Parish Family
the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. *Mass intentions booked after bulletin submissions will be
Amen. announced at the appropriate masses.
Prayer List
Are you or a loved one suffering from illness? Let your Nativity family pray for you.
Call the Church Office at 813.681.4608, and we will add your prayer request to our list.
Pray for the sick, suffering, and shut-ins to welcome the strength of God’s love, especially:
George Anthony Gamez, Jody Berube, Bill Reck, Steve Dwight, Howard Wiebold, Denae Hubank, Gabriela
Lozada, Sam Troncalli, Angel Luis Marrero, Ronald Lussier, Eugene Rogers, Stephen Gitomer, Jeanne A.
Woodke, Christopher C. Woodke, Vince Ferraro, Chris Turner, Ronald Lussier, Jaxon Smith, Guillermina Lugo,
Katherine Prince, Dorothy Malec, Arlene & Tom Schultz, Victor Luis Cruz, Lucy Gonzalez, Robert Lande, Bobby
Dass, Pedro Reyes, Shirley Jackowski, Tremayne Brooks, Luz Maria Velasquez, Loraine Brown, Tina Nelson
Into your hands O Lord, we commend the souls of our recently departed.
May their souls and the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Delores Joy, Michael Lavin, Agnes Francis
6 FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT MARCH 22, 2020
Featured Announcements
College Scholarships
Sponsored by the St. Gerard Circle of the Women’s Guild
The St. Gerard Circle is pleased to
announce the availability of TWO
$1,000 High School scholarships for
eligible Nativity Parishioners! These
scholarships are for current high
school seniors who will be
attending an accredited institution of higher learning
(i.e. junior college, 4 -year college, university technical
school).
To find out more about the eligibility criteria for
these scholarships, and to download the
application, please visit:
www.nativitycatholicchurch.org/collegescholarship
Annual Pastoral
Appeal
More information on APA
and a link to online giving, Keep up with Nativity LifeTeen:
can be found at:
nativitycatholicchurch.org/ : @NativityLT
APA :facebook.com/groups/nativitylifeteen
Church Office Hours — Monday-Thursday: 8:30am-4:00pm | Friday: 8:30am-12:00pm | Phone: 681.4608
www.nativitycatholicchurch.org 7
Life Long Faith Formation
Faith Formation — Monday-Thursday: 9:00am-4:00pm | Friday: 9:00am-12:00pm | Phone: 689.9101
8 FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT MARCH 22, 2020
Del Escritorio del Párroco
Escribo esta columna el lunes 16 de marzo, pero hay una probabilidad de que parte o gran parte de esta
informacion este desactualizada para el tiempo que ustedes lean esto. Sin embargo, me gustaría ofrecer
alguna informacion y consejos basados en lo que sabemos hasta este punto mientras intentamos hacer
frente a los efectos del Coronavirus.
A partir de hoy (lunes), nuestra oficina sigue abierta durante el horario normal. Sin embargo, le pido que trai-
ga solo las necesidades mas urgentes, como planear un funeral o buscar ayuda con una emergencia familiar.
Nuestro personal intentara ayudarle con estos problemas lo mejor que podamos. Por supuesto, si estas enfer-
mo, te pedimos que te quedes en casa.
Siempre puede llamar a nuestra oficina al 813-681-4608. Si es posible que tenga que dejar un mensaje debido
al volumen de llamadas que recibimos, nos ponemos en contacto con usted lo antes posible.
Si usted tiene una emergencia, es decir, si un miembro de la familia se esta muriendo y necesita el Sacramento
de los Enfermos, haremos todo lo posible para ayudarle. En este momento, no se nos permite la entrada en
ninguna de las residencias de ancianos ubicadas dentro de nuestros límites parroquiales. Eso incluye si la fa-
milia de un residente / paciente esta solicitando el Sacramento de los Enfermos. Seguiremos tratando de res-
ponder a las emergencias en el Hospital Regional de Brandon, pero no se nos permitira entrar en las habita-
ciones donde el paciente esta aislado. Entendemos que esto es una dificultad para todos los involucrados, pero
es necesario para proteger a la poblacion mas grande.
Haremos todo lo posible para ayudar a las familias que estan planeando bodas y funerales en este momento.
En funcion de las recomendaciones actuales, es posible que le pidamos que limite el numero de personas que
asisten a esas liturgias. O podemos restringir un funeral a solo un servicio de entierro en el cementerio.
Si se cancelan las Misas de fin de semana, publicaremos un video de la Misa de ese domingo en nuestro sitio
web o retransmitiremos en directo la celebracion de la Misa de ese domingo en un momento específico.
Por favor, consulte nuestro sitio web de la parroquia de forma regular. El enlace es: https://
nativitycatholicchurch.org/ Ademas, este podría ser un buen momento para actualizar o descargar nuestra
aplicacion parroquial en su proveedor de dispositivos Android o Apple.
Nuestro personal continua tratando de servirle de varias maneras. Nuestra escuela esta proporcionando
aprendizaje en línea. Formacion de Fe y el Ministerio de la Juventud ofreceran recursos en línea, así como
otros materiales utiles para ayudarle a usted y a su familia en su camino de fe.
Por ultimo, nuestra parroquia depende de sus donaciones para mantener los ministerios aquí en Nativi-
ty y pagar a nuestro personal que sirve fielmente a nuestra comunidad. Solo una cuarta parte de esa
oferta se hace en línea. Los otros tres cuartos de esas donaciones provienen de sus contribuciones hecha
en la ofrenda durante la Misa. Si no celebramos publicamente la misa el fin de semana, no tenemos for-
ma de compensar el deficit. Esencialmente, solo pasarían unas semanas antes de que no pudieramos pa-
gar a nuestro personal y cumplir con nuestras obligaciones financieras.
Por esa razon, les pido que consideren contribuir a nuestra parroquia en línea. Su donacion en línea ayu-
daría a apoyar a nuestro personal y a asegurar la continuacion de nuestros ministerios, incluso mientras
estemos lejos de la Iglesia. La donacion en línea es facil de hacer. Considere la posibilidad de revisar
nuestro sitio web parroquial titulada "Entrega en línea" en la parte inferior de la pagina y el enlace le lle-
vara a traves del proceso de registro. Que Dios los bendiga por su generosidad y bondad con nuestra pa-
rroquia durante estos tiempos difíciles. Y sigamos orando los unos por los otros, especialmente por los
enfermos con el Coronavirus, y por todo el pueblo de Dios.
-Padre John Tappwww.nativitycatholicchurch.org 9
Reflexión Semanal Lecturas por la Semana
Cuarto Domingo de la Cuaresma Domingo Cuarto Domingo de Cuaresma
(cortesía de catholicsteward.com) 1 Sm 16, 1b. 6-7. 10-13a; Sal 22, 1-3a. 3b-4.
Las lecturas de hoy están llenas de imágenes 5. 6; Ef 5, 8-14; Jn 9, 1-41 o Jn 9, 1. 6-9. 13-17.
34-38
contrastantes: la visión de Dios frente a la visión
Lunes Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo, Obispo
humana, la ceguera espiritual frente a la visión
Is 65, 17-21; Sal 29, 2 y 4. 5-6. 11-12a y 13b;
espiritual. Abrazar un modo de vida de mayordomía
Jn 4, 43-54
no puede liberar de la ceguera espiritual y ayudarnos
Martes Ez 47, 1-9. 12; Sal 45, 2-3. 5-6. 8-9; Jn 5, 1-16
a reflejar la luz del amor de Cristo en nuestra vida Miércoles Solemnidad de la Anunciación del Señor
diaria. Is 7, 10-14; 8, 10; Sal 39, 7-8a. 8b-9. 10. 11;
Nuestra segunda lectura, de Efesios comienza, "En Heb 10, 4-10; Lc 1, 26-38
Jueves Ex 32, 7-14; Sal 105, 19-20. 21-22. 23;
otros tiempos fueron tinieblas, pero ahora, unidos al
Jn 5, 31-47
Señor, son luz. Vivan, por lo tanto, como hijos de la
Viernes Sab 2, 1a. 12-22; Sal 33, 17-18. 19-20. 21 y 23;
luz”. Debido a nuestro Bautismo, tenemos la "luz" de
Jn 7, 1-2. 10. 25-30
la Santísima Trinidad que mora en nosotros. En las Sábado Jer 11, 18-20; Sal 7, 2-3. 9bc-10. 11-12;
dificultades y el desorden de la vida diaria, es fácil Jn 7, 40-53
olvidar esta gloriosa verdad. También puede ser difícil
determinar si realmente estamos viviendo de una
manera que refleja la luz de Cristo.
La forma de vida de mayordomía, con su énfasis en el
uso de los dones del tiempo, talento y tesoro, nos da
una guía para ayudarnos a ver si realmente estamos
viviendo como "hijos de la luz".
En nuestro pasaje evangélico de Juan, Cristo restaura
la vista a un hombre ciego. El hombre dice que Cristo
"abrió mis ojos". Estos días de Cuaresma son un
momento excelente para que le pidamos a Jesús que
abra nuestros ojos, también. Pidamos que nos
muestre dónde podemos estar sufriendo de ceguera
espiritual, tal vez incluso de maneras sutiles en
nuestro uso —o mal uso— del tiempo, el talento y el
tesoro.
A medida que continuamos en nuestro viaje
cuaresmal, vamos a intensificar nuestros esfuerzos en
cualquiera de estas áreas donde nos hemos vuelto un
poco ciego para que, esta Pascua, realmente estemos
viviendo como hijos de la luz.
Horario de Oficina de la Iglesia - Lunes-Jueves: 8:30am-4:00pm | Viernes: 8:30am -12:00pm | Teléfono: 681.4608You can also read
